Edson Forest Area

Edson Forest Area - October 26, 2026

Wildfire situation

Since January 1, there have been 64 wildfires in the Edson Forest Area burning a total of 27 hectares (ha). For up-to-date information on wildfire locations, status, size and statistics, visit the Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard.

FireSmart vegetation maintenance open house

Join Alberta Forestry on October 26 from 4 - 7 pm at the Grande Cache Recreation Centre to learn more about the FireSmart vegetation maintenance anticipated to begin in December 2026.

Alberta Forestry is planning on conducting vegetation maintenance on existing FireSmart fuel breaks southwest of Grande Cache. This project will help reduce the risk of wildfire spreading from the Wilmore Wilderness area towards the community. The two areas amount to 36 ha in size, were established in 2005 and will be mostly mulched to remove the re-growth. The work is expected to be completed by April 2027. 

Alberta Wildfire recruitment

A career with Alberta Wildfire is about more than fighting wildfires. Each season, we hire people with a wide range of skills, experience and backgrounds to support wildfire operations across the province. Opportunities include wildfire prevention, communications, dispatch, logistics, airtanker operations, lookout observers, warehouse and facilities support, data entry and more. Whether you are beginning your career, looking to build new skills or bringing years of experience to a new role, there may be a place for you on our team. You can explore current and upcoming opportunities on the Alberta Wildfire recruitment webpage or visit us at one of the open houses in the province.

Explore career opportunities with Alberta Wildfire for the 2027 season. Meet the people behind our firefighting and support roles, ask questions and get hands-on with equipment used on the fireline. These info sessions are from 4 - 7 pm.

• Grande Cache Recreation Centre on October 26
• Robb Multiplex on November 13
• Edson Galloway Museum on November 18
• Hinton Recreation Centre on November 19
• Evansburg Arena on November 20

Alberta Wildfire firefighters are all about protecting communities, teamwork and comradery. 

Cooking and warming fires

Each fall, the forest area sees an increase in wildfires unintentionally caused by recreational fires that have not been fully extinguished. Build fires on bare mineral soil and away from dead, dry vegetation, and always extinguish them completely before leaving the site. Even when temperatures fall below freezing, a fire can continue to smoulder deep in the ground for extended periods and resurface when afternoon temperatures rise and frost or snow melts. Cool weather can be deceiving—if your fire is not fully extinguished, it can still start a wildfire.

Fall FireSmart and harvesting

Fall is a great time to reduce wildfire risk around your home, acreage or farm. Taking a few simple steps can help make your property more resilient to wildfire and better prepared for spring. Find more ways to reduce your risk in the FireSmart Farm and Acreage guide.

It’s also an important time to use extra care during harvesting and other agricultural operations. Inspect equipment regularly, keep moving parts lubricated and carry sufficient water and basic firefighting equipment. Hay baled with too much moisture can heat up during storage and potentially ignite without an outside spark. Check stored bales for unusual heat or a burning smell, and call 310-FIRE if you suspect a fire.

If you’re going to burn it, get a permit

Fire permits are required for all burning in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta until October 31, with the exception of campfires. To request your free fire permit, contact the local forest area at 780-723-8527 or you can request your permit online.